Justification describes the end result of equitable, balanced, impartial, and fair-minded judgment. Â Justification is an inviting concept because our society is plagued by obvious soul-wrenching inequity.

Let's face it. Â Our world is out of balance. Â The way we've been handled has not always been fair-minded. Â Most of us have experienced being led into a business transaction that looked good on its surface, only to find out that the business person wanted to take more money than the original understanding dictated.

We've embarked on personal relationships where we were required to give more than we received, things going wrong were our fault more than theirs too much, verdicts seem against us more than for us. Â Exploring the concepts of justice, justification, and Jesus as justifier will grant each of us a greater appreciation for the price paid for our salvation.

Justice seeks to bring a situation that is uneven into balance. Â For the most tragic circumstances of loss, we punish when the loss is caused by criminal behavior. Â We seek financial equity when the loss is caused by accidents, disasters, and natural causes. Â So it is with God.

God favored man. God granted mankind dominion over all the earth and a special relationship with Him. Â Man chose to give his obedience to Satan. It was criminal betrayal. Â Satan's purpose was to rebel against God, planning a coup d' tat of the throne of heaven.

Plainly, the relationship between God and man was out of balance. Â Our action against God was criminal, a subversion of God's law. Â Just judgment should seek to punish the guilty.

Punishment for Satan was set for eternity. Â He was cast like lightning from the presence of God and will burn eternally in the Lake of Fire. Â However, what about man? What about you and me?

God, because of His great love for us, chose to rescue us. Â More specifically, He chose to save us rather than group us with Satan and thirty percent of Heaven's angels to endure eternal punishment. Â However there had to be a balancing. Â That balancing is called justification.

Therefore, justification describes both the process and the proclamation that produces a declaration of righteousness (excellent, strong standing). Â The price of a right relationship with God was blood.

Moses rightly prophesied it saying, "...when I see the blood, I will pass over you..."

God sees blood as an atoning offering. Â "The life of the flesh is in the blood..." Â When God is offered blood, He perceives it as offering a life for a life. Â God accepted the good life of a bull or a goat in the stead of a ruined life, namely ours. Â Though the blood of goats and bulls said, "I'm sorry" for being a sinner and sinning, "it is not possible for [such blood to] take away sins." Â There had to be a Justifier.

Jesus is the Great Justifier. Â His life was a good life. Â His blood was not tainted with the dope of sinfulness. Â Now, God can look at those who place their trust in Jesus, not simply as sorry sinners, but righteous because Jesus' blood takes away sins.

That's why, in the Christian faith, Jesus is not a philosophical figure or a great teacher whose teachings we espouse to. Â He is the Savior because He offered His blood in our stead and changed the nature of our relationship with God.

Jesus brings equity to our relationship with God. Â Jesus' blood allows the criminal act of man's obedience to Satan to be punished. Â Furthermore, it allows the price of forgiveness and reconciliation to be paid.

Now, we whom He loves can partner with God to bring positive change to our lives, families, and communities. We can change the winners and losers because Jesus changed the game.